Stolen Hearts by Jo Barrett

Sheriff Jake Conrad knew two things. Either the beautiful woman with the killer body and mule-headed nature had to leave town, or he was about to get his heart broken. Occupied with chasing some shifty drug traffickers, he had no time for an affair, and something warned him that with Christine Harper one night would never be enough. But when Chris gets caught up in the middle of his investigation, he has little doubt what the outcome will be.

Shoving the uneasy thoughts from his mind, he concentrated on the simple steps of grooming himself and getting dressed, and managed to get out the door on time.

He pulled up in front of Liddy’s and took a deep breath before getting out of the car. There was nothing unusual about Christine Harper, nothing he needed to get all worked up about.

Satisfied with his reasoning, he walked into the house and stopped cold in the foyer. She stood at the foot of the stairs wearing a pair of white jeans that were made for her body, and a jersey top that dipped low in the front, giving him a glimpse of sweet heaven. When his eyes finally met hers after a very long, inappropriate, enjoyable appraisal of every inch, he caught a sparkle of satisfaction with a dose of flirtation in her gaze. He couldn’t hide his grin, although he’d managed to contain it to some degree, and noted her struggling with one herself. She was, most definitely, not boring.

She cleared her throat, and said, “I, um, think Liddy has breakfast ready, if you’re hungry.”

“Starving,” Jake said, his gaze warming as he continued to look at her.